International Christian Fellowship

What International Christian Fellowship does

International Christian Fellowship (ICF) is a Swiss-domiciled, non-profit religious movement founded in 1996 and headquartered in Dübendorf, Switzerland, operating a network of more than 65 affiliated ICF churches across Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South America, and North America. Its flagship venue, "The Hall" in Dübendorf, hosts weekly Celebrations with combined in-person and virtual attendance of up to 6,000 people, complemented by the Church Online digital experience and a Ladies Lounge conference that distributes to 90+ satellite locations across roughly 17 countries. ICF's product portfolio spans core church services (weekly worship, Small Groups, pastoral care, Micro Churches), educational programs (ICF College with IGW/ISTL-accredited theology and leadership tracks, year-long IJFD-registered internship), flagship events (Ladies Lounge, Jesus First Camp, ICF Experience bootcamp, Church Training Week), digital platforms (ICF Hub internal API, ICF EQUIP resource platform with 10,000+ monthly page views, ICF Online Giving, ICF Radio, Church Online, the in-development Prayer App), and church-planting infrastructure (School of Church Planting, ICF Startups). Underlying technology is a standard modern SaaS stack — Stripe, PayPal, TWINT, Apple Pay, and crypto for payments; Salesforce Pardot and MailGun for marketing automation; Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, Meta Pixel, and Google Tag Manager for analytics and tracking; Algolia for search; DigitalOcean, Xano, and Imgix for hosting and image optimization; with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed.

ICF is financed exclusively through voluntary donations — no church taxes, no state subsidies, no mandatory membership fees — collected via the give.icf.church online platform and in-person offerings. Secondary monetization comes from ICF College tuition (with accreditation enabling transfer to bachelor's theology degrees), ticketed events via the cvents platform (with group-leader sponsored tickets and subsidized youth pricing), internship stipend offset (CHF 525/month), and legacy gifts and bequests managed through the ICF Foundation. The REACH Beyond annual giving campaign is the primary funding vehicle; the 2026 target is CHF 995,000 earmarked for digital innovation (Prayer App, Church Online), facility renovation, global micro-churches, new church plants, humanitarian projects through AVC, and leadership training. ICF serves four primary customer segments: the general Christian community (mainstream congregants), women and young women (Ladies Lounge), young adults and emerging leaders (internship and ICF College), digital-first/remote attendees (Church Online, Micro Churches), and church planters and startup leaders (ICF Experience, ICF Startups). Distribution combines a 6,000-capacity physical flagship venue with multi-channel digital reach (2.5M+ annual website visitors, 1,000+ monthly EQUIP leaders, 90+ Ladies Lounge satellites) and franchise-style local-church replication under the protected "ICF" brand.

Name

International Christian Fellowship

Legal name

ICF Movement (Verein)

Website

https://icf.church

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International Christian Fellowship (ICF) is a Swiss non-profit religious movement founded in 1996, operating 65+ affiliated churches globally and serving congregants through weekly Celebrations, church planting, ICF College accredited education, and digital platforms including Church Online and the EQUIP resource platform, financed entirely through voluntary donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services / Church Movement

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Religious community services
• Church network
• Theological education
• Church planting
• Faith-based events

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Voluntary Donations (Tithes & Offerings): ICF is state-independent and financed exclusively through voluntary donations. There are no church taxes, no state subsidies, and no mandatory membership fees. Donors give through the online giving portal, bank transfer, TWINT, cryptocurrency, or in-person offerings at Celebrations. The church promotes the biblical tithe (10% of income) as a spiritual principle but does not mandate it. Donors receive an annual summary of their contributions for personal records.
2. Crypto Donations: ICF was among the first churches worldwide to accept cryptocurrency donations, supporting Bitcoin and Ethereum contributions through its online giving platform.
3. Legacy Gifts & Bequests: ICF Foundation accepts legacy gifts and bequests through wills, enabling donors to support the church's mission beyond their lifetime. Bequests are managed confidentially through the Finance & HR department.
4. REACH Beyond Annual Giving Campaign: Annual campaign targeting CHF 995,000 in 2026 to fund specific projects: digital innovation (Prayer App, Church Online), facility renovation (Club/Studio), global micro-church development, ICF Startups church plants, humanitarian projects, and training programs. One-time or recurring giving, with a dedicated Offering Weekend in March 2026.
5. ICF College Programs: ICF College offers year-long tracks (Bible, Faith, Leadership, Theology, Pastors & Key Leaders) and an annual internship program at ICF Zürich. The College charges tuition/fees for its educational programs, with official IGW and ISTL accreditation enabling transfer to bachelor's degree programs in theology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

ICF (International Christian Fellowship) operates a non-profit church movement coordinating 65+ affiliated churches across Europe and globally, delivering weekly worship services (Celebrations), accredited theological education via ICF College, community-building through Small Groups and Micro Churches, annual flagship events (Ladies Lounge women's conference, Jesus First Camp), and digital faith platforms (Church Online, ICF EQUIP, Prayer App). The organization is financed exclusively through voluntary donations and offers free church attendance with paid education programs, internships, and event tickets.

Product overview

ICF (International Christian Fellowship) is a church movement built on a platform-plus-programs model. The core ICF Movement coordinates a network of over 65 local churches across Europe and beyond, with ICF Zürich as the flagship location. The product portfolio includes educational offerings (ICF College with accredited theological tracks), digital platforms (ICF Hub internal API, ICF EQUIP resource platform, ICF Online Giving, Church Online), event-based programs (Ladies Lounge, Jesus First Camp, ICF Conference, Church Training Week), community building (Small Groups, Micro Churches), and church planting initiatives. Supplementary offerings include ICF Radio, ICF Worship, ICF Store, and the ICF Foundation for legacy giving. The Reach Beyond annual campaign funds church planting, digital innovation, and global projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ICF College: Theological education and leadership training with tracks including Bible, Faith, Leadership, and Theology, as well as an Internship program. Official IGW and ISTL training partner.
• ICF Radio
• EQUIP
• ICF Worship
• Ladies Lounge
• Jesus First Camp
• Church Planting
• ICF Experience
• Church Training Week
• Prayer App
• Church Online

Products and services

• ICF Movement The overarching church movement that coordinates a network of over 65 local ICF churches across Europe and globally. Promotes church planting, conferences, resources, leadership training, and coaching programs. Targets Christian communities worldwide seeking contemporary, relevant faith expression.
• ICF Zürich (Weekly Celebrations) The flagship ICF church location in Dübendorf hosting weekly Celebrations (worship services) at The Hall venue with capacity for up to 6,000 weekly attendees in-person and virtually. Targeted at individuals and families across the DACH region seeking contemporary Christian worship.
• ICF College Educational institution offering theological and leadership training tracks (Bible, Faith, Leadership, Theology, Pastors & Key Leaders) with official IGW and ISTL accreditation enabling transfer to bachelor's degree programs. Includes year-long internship program. Targeted at aspiring pastors, leaders, and young adults seeking accredited theological education.
• Ladies Lounge Conference Annual women's conference with live events at multiple global locations and online Home Edition streaming. Features worship, inspirational messages, and community building for women of all ages. Free admission for attendees 19 and under; standard ticket pricing for adults.
• Jesus First Camp Annual youth camp (ages 13-25) held over 4 days (29 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027) at The Hall in Dübendorf. Features worship, speakers, workshops, and Small Groups. Ticket includes public transport in ZVV network. Targets young adults seeking faith-based community and spiritual growth.
• REACH Beyond Annual Giving Campaign Annual giving campaign supporting church planting, local church growth, global projects, digital innovation, and pastoral training. 2026 goal: CHF 995,000. One-time or recurring giving with dedicated Offering Weekend in March 2026.
• ICF Online Giving Platform Digital donation platform (give.icf.church) supporting one-time and recurring gifts via credit card, Apple Pay, TWINT, bank transfer, PayPal, and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum). Encrypted and secure. ICF was among the first churches worldwide to accept cryptocurrency donations.
• ICF EQUIP Resource Platform Online resource platform providing leadership tools, ideas, and practical resources for church leaders with over 10,000 monthly page views and 1,000+ active leaders monthly. Includes tools for sermon preparation, leadership development, and team management.
• ICF Radio Digital radio platform streaming worship music, sermons, and faith-based audio content from the ICF Movement. Accessible globally at icf.church/radio.
• Church Planting Program Program for establishing new ICF churches. Includes startup support, coaching, infrastructure funding, School of Church Planting training, and ICF Experience bootcamp. Targets individuals and teams called to plant new churches in strategic metropolitan areas.
• Small Groups Program Community groups meeting regularly for fellowship, spiritual growth, and mutual support. Searchable via Small Group Finder tool by location (Zürich, Winterthur, etc.), target audience (Women, Men, Mixed, Couples), or interests.
• ICF Foundation (Legacy Giving) Foundation entity enabling donors to include ICF in their wills and estate plans for legacy giving to support the church's mission beyond their lifetimes. Managed by Joel Baumgartner, Head of Finance and HR.
• Prayer App Digital prayer companion app enabling users to capture prayer requests, use prayer cards, join spaces for family/small group prayer, and access guided prayer times. Currently in development and testing.
• Meet Jesus – Discovery Bible Free Discovery Bible containing the full Gospel of Mark and key passages from Luke with easy-to-understand explanations, distributed at Easter 2026 to support new believers.
• ICF Worship Worship music ministry providing recordings, songs, and worship content from the ICF Movement.
• ICF Store Online merchandise store for ICF-branded products, apparel, and accessories.
• ICF Experience Bootcamp Annual bootcamp for new ICF pastors and core teams in their first two years of starting phase. Over 200 emerging leaders attend annually. Targeted at church planting teams.
• Church Training Week Annual intensive training week for church leaders and volunteers covering church development and leadership topics.
• Church Online Online church experience enabling people worldwide to attend weekly Celebrations via live streaming, access prayer options, online courses, and join Micro Churches regardless of location or language.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65+ ICF churches planted globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration30 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IGW (Institut für Glaube und Wirtschaft)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICF College is an official IGW training partner. Courses are recognized and credited by IGW, enabling students to transfer toward a bachelor's degree in theology. This accreditation validates the quality and rigor of ICF's educational offerings.
• ISTL (International School of Theology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICF College is an official ISTL training partner. Courses are recognized and accredited by ISTL, enabling students to continue toward bachelor's degree programs in theology.
• Stripe Payments Europe LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe handles credit card payment processing for ICF's online giving platform (give.icf.church). Block 4, Harcourt Centre, Harcourt Road, Dublin 2, Ireland. Integral to the donation processing infrastructure.
• PayPal Europe S.à.r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.coreTechnology or IntegrationPayPal is offered as a payment option for online donations to ICF. 22–24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg. Part of the donation payment stack alongside Stripe.
• Salesforce (Pardot Marketing Automation)coreTechnology or IntegrationICF uses Salesforce Pardot for marketing automation, managing email newsletters, campaign tracking, and lead scoring. Pardot LLC, 950 E. Paces Ferry Rd. Suite 3300, Atlanta, GA 30326, USA. Data processing agreements in place.
• Google (Analytics, Ads, Tag Manager, Maps, reCAPTCHA, YouTube)coreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle provides multiple integrated services: Google Analytics for web analytics (with IP anonymization), Google Tag Manager for tag management, Google Ads for paid search, Google Maps for location features, Google reCAPTCHA for form spam protection, and YouTube for embedded video content.
• Meta Platforms (Facebook Pixel, Instagram)coreTechnology or IntegrationMeta Pixel tracks visitor behavior from Facebook advertisements for campaign measurement and ad optimization. Instagram is used organically for the Ladies Lounge and ICF social media presence.
• MailGuncoreTechnology or IntegrationMailGun provides SMTP email delivery services for ICF's transactional and marketing emails, including newsletter distribution and confirmation emails.
• YouTube & VimeocoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo content (sermons, event recaps, worship sessions) is distributed via YouTube and Vimeo through embedded players on ICF websites. Both platforms may set cookies for usage analytics.
• cvminds / cventscoreTechnology or Integrationcvents is the ticketing platform for ICF's Jesus First Camp and Ladies Lounge events. Handles ticket sales, cancellations, and group registrations.
• AVC (Aid Organization for Persecuted Christians)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICF partners with AVC (avc-ch.org), an international aid organization supporting persecuted Christians and people in need in 60+ countries across 4 continents. AVC provides prayer, humanitarian support, and long-term care in the Middle East, Asia, and currently Iran. ICF supports AVC through the REACH Beyond campaign.
• Beyond Gold (International Sports Chaplaincy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeyond Gold (www.beyond-gold.org/de), based in Switzerland, provides sports chaplaincy to elite athletes globally. ICF supports this initiative as part of its global mission. Founded by Jörg Walcher (Snowboard Pro) and Jacqueline Walcher-Schneider (Olympic diver).
• Jonathan Center / ICF TiranaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jonathan Center in Albania supports children with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) through therapies, development programs, and parent training. Combined with ICF Tirana's community support for holistic, long-term help.
• Worldwide VolunteerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICF's year-long internship is IJFD-registered and partnered with Worldwide Volunteers (ww-volunteers.de), the German sending organization. This enables German applicants aged 18–27 to participate with recognized international service status.
• DigitalOcean & XanocoreTechnology or IntegrationDigitalOcean provides cloud hosting for ICF websites. Xano provides backend infrastructure for web applications. Both are listed as data processors under ICF's data protection policy.
• ICF FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ICF Foundation (Stiftung) manages legacy gifts, bequests, and endowment-style donations. Donors can include the ICF Foundation in their wills. Managed by Joel Baumgartner, Head of Finance and HR.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Willow Creek Community Church: Willow Creek pioneered the seeker-sensitive megachurch model and the Willow Creek Association/GLS leadership resources used widely across churches — a broader incumbent whose conference and training ecosystem overlaps with ICF College and EQUIP, though it is no longer in rapid plant expansion.

Direct peers

• Christ Embassy: Christ Embassy is a global charismatic church movement with branches on multiple continents, strong digital streaming, worship content and faith-based humanitarian programmes — comparable to ICF's multi-continent reach, Church Online and AVC partnership.
• ARC (Association of Related Churches): ARC is an international church-planting cooperative that resources, coaches and funds independent church plants — directly parallel to ICF's church-planting engine, ICF Startups, REACH Beyond campaign funding and Micro Church transitions.
• Saddleback Church: Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California pioneered the Purpose Driven Network and church-planting model that has launched thousands of congregations globally — highly comparable to ICF's church-planting coaching, ICF Experience bootcamp and School of Church Planting.
• Bethel Church: Bethel Church in Redding, California is a large contemporary charismatic church known for worship music, Bethel Music as a global sub-brand, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, and church-planting — directly comparable to ICF's ICF Worship and ICF College tracks.
• Hillsong Church: Hillsong is a global contemporary Christian megachurch movement originating in Australia with dozens of locations worldwide, a multi-track leadership college, conferences (Hillsong Conference) and high-profile founding pastors — the closest functional analogue to ICF's contemporary-worship, college-and-conference model.
• Elevation Church: Elevation Church, led by Steven Furtick, is a multi-site contemporary megachurch with strong digital content, worship output (Elevation Worship), conferences and online reach — comparable to ICF's Church Online, EQUIP and event-driven GTM.
• Vineyard Churches International: Vineyard is a global charismatic church-planting network with a strong European footprint (Vineyard Deutschland, Vineyard Schweiz), training programmes and a centralised resource body — analogous to ICF's network of 65+ churches, ICF College and EQUIP platform.

Regional players

• Freie Evangelische Gemeinden Schweiz (FEG): FEG is the umbrella association of free evangelical churches in Switzerland, with member congregations, training via FEG Schweiz and joint events — a regional Swiss peer that competes for the same contemporary, independent evangelical attendee as ICF.
• Chrischona (St. Chrischona): Chrischona is a historic Swiss free-church movement with theological training (Theologische Seminar Chrischona) and a German-speaking footprint — the most direct Swiss/German regional peer to ICF on theological education and free-church identity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@icfchurch
• Facebookfacebook.com/icfzurich
• Instagraminstagram.com/icfladieslounge
• Xx.com/icfzurich

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Christian Fellowship